At 08:21 AM 18/05/2004 -0400, George Murphy wrote:
>Jand de Koning wrote:
> > Is it really necessary that everyone accepts the view that God created
> > using evolution? If so, it gets us in a quagmire of discussions about
> > Bible interpretation. Someone without higher education would benefit very
> > little of the discussion, and those of us who want to show how "evolution"
> > does not contradict our high view of Biblical Truth would forever be busy
> > discussing things while we will be not able to convince those who have not
> > had a thorough scientific education, enforced by a studying of reformed
> > (Calvinistic) philosophy. I tried, but I was unable to do so, though I am
> > still accepted as a good reformed Calvinist, thanks to a discussion led by
> > someone else in our church. But, all those who did not study science
> > and/or philosophy still don't believe that what I say is correct.
> > We all believe, that Jesus Christ died for our sins. Let that be
> > enough. Teaching "evolution" to non-scientists is practically impossible,
> > I think.
>
>Jan -
> This would be fine if anti-evolutionists would agree that evolution
>is not a church-dividing issue, that rejection of it is not necessary for
>salvation, and - most importantly - if they would stop going on crusades
>against evolution. But they don't. As I pointed out in the letter I
>included in my post, they make Christianity look stupid to nonbelievers &,
>in addition, are responsible for the loss of faith of some Christians when
>they discover what the world is really like. (See, e.g., examples Glenn
>Morton has noted.) In addition, opposition to evolution & YEC views tie in
>with ideas about the environment which can have serious practical
>consequences.
>
>Shalom
>George

I realize that what you are saying is (at least) partially true. However,
the fact that what anti-evolutionists do makes us look stupid does not
consider me too much, since non-believers think anyway that we are stupid,
going to church when we could enjoy the beach etc.. The loss of "faith" is
more serious. Is it, however, possible for anyone who truly accepts Jesus
as their Saviour to lose his/her faith? I do not know what I could do,
except just tell what really happened and then drop the subject. "They
will know that we are Christians by our love," and that means that they
seriously listen to you when the subject comes up. Discussing it in public
does not work, because you have to talk about too many subjects: Is the
Bible true? What is "Truth?" How about the "historical" parts of the
Bible? and so on. There is no end to it. The only way to convince them
is to have them study the subject seriously, both in the Bible, in
commentaries, in Physics, in Biology, in History etc.. WE did not come to
certain insights either by just listening to people explaining the Bible to
us. Or, by just listening to our "Science" teachers.
Studying the Bible is really necessary, but not just the texts given by
"opponents" of evolution, but in general. Then try to fit things
together: Bible, and other studies, including History, and not only History
of Science. To counter what they call Creationism you have to realize that
the basis of their knowledge is very narrow, even their biblical knowledge.
Jan de Koning
Received on Tue May 18 14:10:23 2004